Everyone knows that living a healthy lifestyle is a good idea, but what makes joining a fitness studio a GREAT idea? We give you the scientific low-down on why you need to sign up to join us at the studio TODAY!

Researchers recently took 405 relatively healthy adults (half of whom have had fitness studio memberships the last 30 days and half who had no membership the last 30 days). All the study participants underwent physical tests and measurements which included body mass, blood pressure and heart rate and they also completed a questionnaire regarding their lifestyle and weekly activities.

The results were then analysed by the researchers in order to establish whether the participants met the national recommended guidelines for physical activity. The national recommended guidelines for physical activity state that you should do 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity each week along with two days of weights or other muscle strengthening.

What researchers found was shocking. All the participants who had no membership to a fitness studio, but claimed to take part in weekly exercises, only managed to exercise an average of 137 minutes and only 18% met all the guidelines in terms of physical activity and strength training. Those who attended a fitness studio clocked an astonishing 484 minutes a week. And not only were their cardiovascular measures better and they were less likely to be obese, but the participants who had been going to a fitness studio for longer than a year had lower resting heart rates, smaller waist circumferences and higher cardiorespiratory fitness.

The facts were undisputed and the researchers all agreed that joining a fitness studio was essential to your health and well-being. Not only does a fitness studio offer a regular and scheduled activity routine with expert advice and support, but unless you have equipment that’s up to gym standards, it’s also the only way to improve muscle tone by utilising their weights and resistance machines.

These researchers concluded that the benefits of joining a fitness studio went way beyond merely losing weight. The study was done by independent researchers who had no conflict of interest or any stake in any fitness studios.

*For the full, detailed study, you can refer to the scientific journal PLOS ONE.